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Birthdays, Babies & a Book Swag Giveaway by Rula Sinara

Happy March everyone! I wish I could dance and say that spring was in the air, but we're getting yet another coating of ice and snow today. I don't dance on ice. Judging from the way I slipped down four, ice-coated, stone patio steps yesterday, I don't walk well on ice either. But I'm okay and I learn from my mistakes...let's just say I'm glad no one was taking a video of me making my way across icy ground, down an incline, to our hen hut to take 'the girls' unfrozen water. Not pretty.

BUT, I'm celebrating because even if Queen Elsa has frozen my land, I still associate March with spring babies and birthdays. I'm a spring baby myself and this month is extra special, not only because I have a book birthday, but because March means 'Chick Days' are here! Baby chicken birthdays! Fluffy butts. How can anyone resist?

Rhode Island Red chick

And of course...absolutely sane person that I am...who just happens to already have 2 dogs, 3 indoor cats, 1 feral cat, 15 hens (down from 18...we lost a few to hawks), a snail, 7 fish, 3 boys (plus husband makes 4) and several bird feeders I maintain for wild birds and squirrels...I celebrated my book release by bringing home more chicks.

A trio singing Happy Birthday to us!

There are six in this group (4 Rhode Island Reds and 2 Easter Eggers), but tomorrow I'll be picking up 3 Plymouth Barred Rocks, plus come April, I'll be bringing home a special order (because they're hard to get) 6 French Black Copper Maran chicks. They're the breed that lays super dark brown eggs. Almost like dark chocolate or mahogany. Their eggs will look gorgeous next to the blue and green eggs I get from my Easter Eggers. Want to see how dark? There's a pic HERE.

"Whoa. Is my butt that big?"

My mom thinks I'm crazy for taking on more responsibility. My response? Raising and caring for animals doesn't feel like work because I love it. My comical girls (as I call them) bring me joy, along with all my other pets. They're how I decompress and center or ground myself when things get tough. And it's not only that holding a baby anything makes my heart swell. They're just as sweet all grown up.

In my March release, After the Silence (book 2 in my 'From Kenya, With Love' series), marine Ben Corallis is thrown into full time parenthood after the sudden and tragic death of his wife. With long tours of duty, he missed the births and birthdays, of his three young kids: an infant, a hyperactive toddler and his ten year old daughter who hasn't spoken since her mother's death. As much as he loves his family, he struggles to experience the joy in parenthood through all the guilt, mourning and stress. And when Hope Alwanga, a young medical intern from Kenya, steps into their lives...life, love and letting go become even harder.

Do you have a soft spot for babies (of any species!) or do you panic at the mere idea of taking on responsibility for anything that tiny and fragile? Or...do you know someone who didn't have a choice, but who's life became better for it?

GIVEAWAY: Leave a comment for a chance to win Birthday Book Swag! I'm giving away a set of two, 15x15 canvas totes, each with a cover of one of the books in my 'For Kenya, With Love' series, matching bookmarks and a 'Sweet & Heartwarming' bracelet. I'll announce the winner here tomorrow!

And Catherine Lanigan and I will be posting together again next month, so stay tuned! In the meantime, don't forget to check out her latest fabulous release, A Fine Year for Love! Find out more about her upcoming May release, Katia's Promise at www.catherinelanigan.com.

Comments

I love babies of all species. When my husband is in the farm & home store (where he can spend so much time), I go and talk to the babies in the tanks waiting to go to their forever homes. I'm sure they appreciate it. :-)

Aw, Liz! That's so sweet and I'm sure they do! I'm the same way. I think the guys at our farm store think I'm nuts because I can't seem to leave the chicks. They're just so darn sweet! If we were neighbors and went there together, we'd be a sight lol.

Those baby chicks are so adorable!! It makes me think of the I Love Lucy episode where they had 500 baby chicks in their den. Fred said the heat had to be turned up to 90° to keep them warm. Is that true? And I want one of those beautiful dark brown baby eggs. I think most baby animals are irresistible—puppies, kittens, even baby owls. Thank you for the morning pick me up, and please be careful on that ice. ( :

Hi Laurie! I love I Love Lucy and remember that episode! Yes, it's true. Their first week, the temperature needs to be between 90-95F. Mine's at 90 and next week I'll bring it down to 85 and so on, weekly, until their feathered out and they can adjust to outdoor temps (once we get comfortable spring temps later on). I have a heat lamp on one end of their brooder and I can adjust its distance and height, plus it's a long brooder so there's a temperature gradient and they can find a spot they're comfortable in.

Oh, I love owls too! And thank you :). I'll try to be careful. I'm a bit sore on my left side from that fall!

I wish it was over, but we've already been warned that schools might close early today, and after this afternoon's added snow/ice, we're expecting another storm Thursday. I'm ready to see daffodils and tulips!

LOL, Deanna! I always hear that grandbabies are the best because you can enjoy them, but they get to go home with their parent(s)! Grandparents play a pretty big role in After the Silence and I loved including them :). You've been entered in the drawing!

I may be biased, but I think they're addictive and ridiculously cute! In fact, we have a state law that says you have to buy a minimum of 6 chicks. I think this is in part to be humane, because they are a flock animal and thrive with friends, but I also think it strives to prevent the purchase of one chick as an Easter gift, only to have it abandoned when it's not so cute and tiny anymore. Six chicks that'll soon be big (they grow super fast) makes buyers think twice ;). Of course, there are some like me, where 6 just isn't enough LOL.

Rula - I so applaud your heart! I'm sure I've said before here that in Astoria, chicks arrive in the mail, and you can stand in line in the Post Office and hear them chirping in the back. Makes everyone smile. Mahogany is the prefect description of that egg color. Never seen that before. Get some rock salt for those steps!

Muriel, isn't that sweet chirping the best sound ever?! I challenge anyone to resist smiling at that lol. Oh, and aren't those dark eggs so cool and gorgeous?

I've resisted rock salt because of pet paws and even my hens come up on the patio, but I definitely need to at least throw out some sand for grit. It's not nice on wood floors though, when the dogs track it in. Better than broken bones though!

Oh, Muriel, I learned last week that our PO handles baby chicks too.And Rula, I must connect you with my friend, Johnnie. She and her sister have a keep and have about 7 Alpacas and I don't know how many chickens. And I have a friend who does the egg-thingy--you know, punch a hole in it and blow...oops No, I'm sure they are the unfertilized kind...they are beautiful.And do be careful on those steps. We're getting ice and snow tomorrow night. Sheesh. Doesn't Mother Nature know I live in Mississippi???

You have a big, generous heart too, Mel, and I know your pets are super lucky to have you as a human mom :).

As for chickens...Penn at the Harlequin forum showed me this video link about the hazards of raising backyard hens...and I couldn't stop laughing! Everything the lady in the video says is so, so true! I've said everything she points out! Scary funny!

Here's the link everyone. You may have to paste it in the url bar. http://onegirlsrant.com/the-hazards-of-backyard-chickens/

Rula, you are such sweetheart! I love your answer to your mom's comment about taking on more work and responsibility--it really doesn't feel like work when you love it. Baby chicks are adorable. My soft spot is definitely puppies and kittens...and calves (the cow kind)...and bunnies.

Hi Melanie! I agree that all babies are precious. They've actually done studies that show that merely looking at a baby's face (any species) has a positive psychological and physiological/chemical effect of us. I believe it!

How precious those baby chicks are. I think it's wonderful how you take these babies on. :) I love babies anything.lol I raised my own 7 babies and that was enough responsibility for me. Epecially when I became a single parent. But you answered right. when you love what you're doing it isn't work. :) Carol LLucky4750 (at) aol (dot) com

Wow, Carol! Single parenting 7 kids is a feat. I bow to you and will never complain that my 3 boys are a handful! But, yes, all in the name of love ;). I wouldn't even trade the tough times for anything :).